Driving mechanism for velocipedes.



"No. 668,379. Patented Feb. l9, IQ DI.

W. LA NE & A. DONEY.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR VELUCIPEDES.

[Application filed Feb. 10, 1900. (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 668,379. Patented Feb. l9, mow.

w. LANE & A. DONEY.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR VELOCIPEDES (Application filed Feb. 10. 1900.) (No Model.)

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No. 668,379. Patented Feb. I9, mm. W. LANE & A. nomav.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR VELOCIPEDES.

(Application filed Feb. 10. 1900. .(No Model.) 3 Shaets-Shea|t 3.

Zane r llNrTnn STATES WILLIAM LANE AND ALFRED DONEY, OF PEN ARGYL, PENNSYLVANIA ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD IO LEONIDAS W. MORSS, OF SORANTON PENNSYLVANIA.

PATENT Orrron.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR VELOCIPEDES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,379, dated February 19, 1901.

Application filed February 10 1900. Serial No. 4,796. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM LANE and ALFRED DoNEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Pen Argyl, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanisms for Velocipedes; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of driving mechanisms for velocipedes involving differential-speed driving devices; and the object of the invention is to provide mechanism of the character specified, including simple and easily-operated means for obtaining instant changes in the speed of the velocipede or for throwing the driving mechanisms entirely out of action, allowing the rider to coast.

With these ends in View the invention consists in the novel combination of elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

We have illustrated the preferred construction of our invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference characters indicate the same parts, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle, illustrating the application of our device. is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section of the rear hub of a bicycle, illustrating the relation of the working parts when running at a low rate of speed. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the parts when thrown out of gear. Fig. 4 is a similar View of the parts when running at high speed. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the rear hub and immediate parts, illustrating the means for shifting the speed-gears. Fig. 6 is a view of one side of the actuating-lever. Fig. 7 is a view of the same at right angles to Fig. 6. Fig. Sis a transverse vertical section of the hub-casing, illustrating one member of the radial clutch; and Fig. 9 is an elevation of the other or movable member of the clutch.

In the drawings we have shown our device applied to a bicycle of the ordinary construc- Fig. 2

tion; but it is obvious that we may apply the device to any form of velocipede.

1 denotes the rear hub of the bicycle, and 2 the rear axle thereof, on one end of which is screwed the cone-bearing 3, forming one part of the ball-race 3.

4 denotes the rear sprocket pinion formed integral with the casting 5, said casting forming the other part of the ball-race inclosing the series of balls 6 and revolving upon the same. '7 denotes a radial extension of said casting, which completely closes one end of the hub and also forms the cone-bearing for a second ball-race 7', as shown, a circumferential flange 8, cast on the inner periphery of the hub, forming the other member of the said ball-race and inclosing the series of balls 9.

l0 denotes a lateral cylindrical extension or hub of the casting 5, the said extension being provided with a number of radial slots for a purpose hereinafter to appear.

12 denotes a spur-pinion keyed or otherwise fastened to the inner end of the cylindrical extension 10 of the casting 5.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings the pinion 12 is shown to be in mesh with the internal gear 13, formed on the cylindrical casting 14, having at its opposite end the external gearteeth 15, in mesh with the internal gearteeth 16, formed on the inner periphery of the hub 1. The casting 14 rotates upon the balls running in races formed by the cones 17 and 18, eccentrically mounted to slide upon the squared portion 2 of the axle 2, the two cones being adjustably connected together by bolts and jam-nuts, as shown. The cone 17 has formed integral therewith a laterallyextending cylindrical hub 17, whichis mounted on the squared portion 2 of the axle 2 and concentric therewith and which extends into the lateral extension 10 of the casting 5. Upon the reduced free end of the hub 17 of the cone 17 is loosely mounted to rotate thereon one member 19 of a clutch construction, the other member 20 of which is cast or otherwise formed upon the inner periphery of the hub. The member 19 of the clutch consists of the concentric rings 19 and 19 joined by the diametrically-arranged arms 19 which arms when the member is in position are fitted into the radial slots in the lateral extension of the casting 5, and the member 19 is thereby rotated, the outer ring having diametrically-arranged lugs 19 projecting therefrom. The member consists of a circumferential flange cast or otherwise formed upon the inner periphery of the hub and having a series of radial notches 20 formed therein,

which are adapted to receive the radial lugs thereof to form one side of the ball-race 22,

the other side being formed by a circumferential flange 23, cast upon the inner side of the hub and inclosing a series of balls 23, which series, together with the corresponding series 9 at the other end of the axle, form the bearings upon which the hub 2 rotates. The disk 21 is formed with an inwardly-projecting hub 21 to receive the screw-threaded end of the axle 2 and is held thereon by the jam-nut 21 24 denotes a stem or stud having one end screwed through the cone 18 and rigidly held therein by a jam-nut and the other end screwthreaded and projecting loosely through a hole 21*, provided therefor in the disk 21 and having upon its outer end the screw-threaded pinion 25, adapted when rotated backward or forward to move said stud 24 in and out of the hub 1, the extreme outer end of the stud 24 being loosely journaled in the bracket 26, fixed upon the outer face of the disk 21, the lateral movement of the. said pinion 25 being limited by the face of the disk 21 and the bracket 26, as shown. 27 denotes a rackbar adapted to play over said pinion 25 and to rotate the same. The forward end of said rack-bar is reduced to form a rod 27 the forward end of said rod being supported by the bracket 28, having at its upper end an eye 28, through which said rod is adapted to slide. eye, and a collar 27 formed upon the rackbar 27 and encircling the rod 27, is a spiral spring 29, the tendency of which is to force the rack-bar 27 rearwardly, forward motion being impart-ed to the said rack-bar through the medium of a cord 30, having one end fastened in an eye 27 in the forward end of the rod 27, the said cord running under a pulley 31, journaled in a bracket mounted upon the crank-hanger of the bicycle, and from thence to the actuating device 32, mounted upon the top frame-tube of the bicycle in convenient reach of the rider. The said actuating device consists of a segmental disk 33, formed with an upwardly-extending arm 33, fixed upon the top frame-tube in any suitable manner, the said arm having piv- Oonfined between the said bracket,

oted thereto a collar 34. 35 denotes a hollow frame supported by the said collar, the said frame consisting of two downwardly-projecting arms 35 and 35 the outer one, 35, of which extends lower than the other and having its end bent at a right angle and thence downwardly, as shown, and having an eye formed in its extreme lower. end to receive the other end of the actuating-cord 30.

36 denotes a spring-actuated plunger working through the hollow frame 35 and between the arms 35 and 35 and having at its lower end a laterally-projecting toe 36, which toe is adapted to engage one of three notches 33, formed in the periphery of the segmental disk 33, to hold the rack-bar 27 in the desired position against the tension of the spring 29, the said toe being released from the notches 33 by a downward pressure of the plunger, at which time the frame 35 can be turned upon its pivot on the collar 34 to either of the desired posit-ions, each notch representing a position of the gears in the hub.

In operating the device to shift the gears in the hub the actuating device is moved in the arc of a circle, as just described, pulling upon or releasing the actuating cord, drawing the rack forward, or allowing the spring to push it backward, as the case may be. In Fig. 2 of the drawings the. parts are shown geared for a low rate of speed and the toe of the plunger is in the first notch of the segment. In the said view motion is transmitted to the hub and drive-wheel of the bicycle from the sprocketpinion on the casting 5, rotating the same, and also the spurpinion 12, mounted upon the inner end thereof. The said pinion being in mesh with the eccentric internal gear-teeth formed in one end of the casting 14 will rotate said casting in the same direction. The said casting 14, having the external gear-teeth 15 formed upon its other end in mesh with the internal gear-teeth 16, formed upon the inner periphery of the hub and eccentric thereto,will causethe said hub, and thereby the drive-wheel, to rotate also in the same direction, this arrangement of gearing causing a low rate of speed to be maintained. Upon releasing the plunger from the first notch and placing it in the middle notch the spring 29 will push the rack backward a slight distance, rotating the pinionnut to the right and withdrawing the stud 24, and thereby moving the casting 14 and gears 13 and 15 from out of engagemont with the gears 12 and 16, allowing the gear 12 and sprocket 4 to turn idly. No power being now exerted upon the hub the drive-wheel will turn loosely upon its bearings, which arrangement of parts is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The bicycle is now controlled only by the brake. To shift the parts for a high rate of speed, the plunger is again released and placed in the third notch, the spring moving the rack-bar still farther rearwardly, withdrawing the stud 24, and thereby moving the cones 17 and 18 and the casting 14,

also the movable member 19 of the clutch mechanism; the said member 19, as hereinbefore stated, having a rigid connection with the hub 17 of the cone 17. By the shifting of the parts just described the gears are farther removed from one another; but the clutch member 19 is thrown into engagement with the member 20, formed on the inner periphery of the hub, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Motion from the sprocket is now directly communicated to the hub through the casting 5 and clutch mechanism just described, which will cause the drive wheel to rotate at a much higher rate of speed. To shift the parts to the former positions, a reverse movement of the plunger and its frame is necessary, thus drawing the rack forward and rotating the threaded pinion in an opposite direction, thereby moving the stud 24, together with its connections, inwardly, first to an out-of-gear position, then to the low-speed position.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, What We claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In differential-speed gearing for bicycles and the like, the combination, with an axle, of a rotatable hub carrying an internal gear and an internal clutch member, a sprocket- Wheel carried by a casting having a cylindrical extension inclosing the axle and provided with radial slots and a spur-gear, an element slidably mounted on the axle and provided with a spur-gear to mesh with the spur-gear of the hub and an internal gear to mesh with the spur-gear of the sprocket-cast ing, means for sliding said slidable elem-ent laterally toward and from the sprocket to bring the gears and clutch members into and out of engagement, and a clutch member carried by the slidable element and slidably engaging the cylindrical extension of the sprocket-casting and comprising concentric rings located respectively upon the interior and exterior of said cylindrical extension, said rings being joined by radial arms projecting through the slot in the extension, and the outer ring having projections to engage the clutch member of the hub, substantially as set forth.

2. In differential-speed gearing for bicycles and the like, the combination, with an axle, of a rotatable hub carrying a gear and a clutch member, a casting carrying a sprocket-Wheel and closing one end of the hub and having a cylindrical extension surrounding the axle and formed with radial slots, a spur-gear carried by said extension, cones connected to move in unison and slidably mounted on the axle, one of said cones having a lateral hub movable Within the cylindrical extension of the sprocket-casting, a gear element carried by the cones and having an external gear to mesh with the gear of the wheel-hub and an internal gear to mesh with said spur-pinion, a disk closing the end of the casing opposite the sprocket, means mounted in said disk for sliding the cones and gear element, and a clutch member carried by the slidable element and slidably engaging the cylindrical extension of the sprocket-casting and comprising concentric rings located respectively upon the interior and exterior of said cylindrical extension, said rings being joined. by radial arms projecting through the slot in the extension, and the outer ring having projections to engage the clutch m ember of the hub, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing wit nesses.

WILLIAM LANE. ALFRED DONEY.

Witnesses:

N. D. CHASE, ALFRED U. WEAVER. 

